The Shawshank Redemption Analysis - Movie Review Example

The Shawshank Redemption can be categorized correctly as one of the most famous movies of all time. It is a powerful tale of trust, strength and friendship. The original narrative Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption was written by Stephen King and it was printed in his collection called ‘Different Seasons’. The screenplay for the movie was written by Frank Darabont, who also directed the movie in 1994. The initial difference between the book and the movie is pretty obvious – their title and length. The book is labeled ‘Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption’ whereas it is shortened and called ‘Shawshank Redemption’ as a movie. One of the reasons for doing this can be attributed to the fact that Rita Hayworth was used in the title of the book simply because it goes into much more depth as far as outlining who Rita Hayworth was. The poster had a lot more significance in the book than in the movie. Furthermore Frank Darabont, the director of the movie, explains how changing the title was important because Rita Hayworth played a very minor part n the story, and he wanted to avoid giving the audience a wrong idea as far as the movie was concerned. Despite the fact that the Shawshank Redemption and Rita Hayworth by Stephen King forms the foundation of the 1994 movie The Shawshank Redemption and that the film follows the book very much when you look at the characters and the plot, however there are several significant alterations. These can be observed beginning from the atmosphere in which the characters are placed, moving towards the depiction of Andy’s aims and desires, and the analysis of the notion of redemption. However the ways in which each of these is accomplished are equally effective and do not stray too far from the original sentiments which are depicted in the book but make the film a much more powerful portrayal. In order to form the basis of an effective compare and contrast lets start right from the beginning. The first of these was the difference in the way the cruelty of prison life is shown right away through the use of additional scenes as well as an alteration of events that happen. When Andy comes to Shawshank Prison, on his first day one of the felons brought in with him later in the evening is seen to be reduced to tears. Due to his incessant insistence about his innocence and claiming he “doesn’t belong there” he is brutally beaten by Captain Hadley; so badly that he dies later that night due to the sustained injuries. This is a major difference when compared to from the book. The film unleashes a string of unjustified beatings and deaths within the prison which depict the harsh life that Andy would have to adjust to for a long stretch of time. Another clear cut example is the way warden Norton wants to silence Tommy William so that Andy remains where he is, he decides to get his way by getting Tommy murdered by one of the guards who shoots him. This is done to highlight the sense of brutality and the morose mood of the setting in the film whereas in the book Tommy is simply moved to a minimum security prison. In the story the tactics that are used are done so to display a sense of darkness and despair such as the constant pursuits of the sisters, and even though these scenes form a part of the film, the alteration done to them contributes in portraying the horrible life of prisoners. A major chunk of these is done to facilitate the viewers understanding of Andy’s character through showing the nature of his dreams and how he fulfills them. . Hope is a key force behind the leading character played by Andy, and it is Andy who restores hope in Red. Red voices his thoughts on the loss of hope and the ability of inmates who remain long enough in there to become institutionalized: "These prison walls are funny. First you hate em, then you get used to em. Enough time passes, gets so you depend on them. Thats institutionalized. They send you here for life, thats exactly what they take. The part that counts, anyways." In the film everything seems to have been amplified to reflect extremes. The rough conditions of jail are shown by a vicious cycle of excessive violence, yet Andy Dufresne is able to keep hope alive and his firm hold on hope becomes real as he starts to dig through the wall and realistically considers the visible chance of freedom that he has. His firm hold on hope, his image of freedom and his persistent efforts root from his confidence in the fact that he was truly innocent. When he manages to get a hold of beer for his friends through Hadley while they were working on the roof, it is seen that Red states in the book that the “"beer was piss warm." (Pg.48). However, in the film we can clearly notice how “icy cold” the beer is. By magnifying even the smallest of Andy’s achievements, such as getting cold beers, the film has a tendency of highlighting in a more dramatic light how remarkable Andy is. Red is also seen to have said “we felt like free men."(Pg.48) which seems to reflect how despite not being free as yet Andy finds other ways to bring that feeling of being free about. In the movie Andy keeps a second set of books, hidden in a safe in a wall, which is for the warden and keeps a record of all the illegal transactions that he is a part of. After he makes this escape, wearing the warden’s uniform, it is this money that he uses to finance his new life in Mexico. Furthermore Andy gives a copy of some records which holds details of the warden’s criminal activities to the press, and so when the police come to arrest the Warden, he commits suicide. However in the story, the money which Andy uses in Mexico was his own and it is invested under a false name by a friend since Andy had been arrested and in jail for many years. Also the clothes that he was wearing when going through the sewage pipe is not specified. Furthermore the Warden Norton resigns in the book instead of killing himself to avoid getting arrested. Lastly, in the story there are three wardens throughout Andy’s stay at Shawshank; in the movie, only one. Adding on to the differences we see the fate of the character Brooks is dramatized in the film as after being paroled; after he is out of prison, he hangs himself; whereas in the literary version Brooks passes away in an old folks home. Moving towards the main differences towards the ending of the movie, in Stephen King’s story, the poster that Andy is using to cover his steadily growing escape tunnel is first that of Rita Hayworth, then Raquel Welch and finally that of Linda Rondstadt. However in the film, the first poster is that of Rita Hayworth and Raquel Welch covers the hole at the time of his escape. Also in the literary version the warden rips the poster without really knowing there is a hole behind it; in the movie, it is him throwing a rock through the poster leading to the discovery of the escape tunnel. The ending of the Shawshank Redemption is with Red taking a stroll in a beach in Mexico, walking towards Andy who is working on a boat. Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption on the other hand ends when Red discovers the note and cash from Andy, and is thinking of taking a trip to Mexico. His hope “that Andy is down there” and his doubts about making it across the border are the note on which the book closes leaving the reader to wonder whether they two meet. The film in comparison gives a proper conclusive ending in form of a reunion of the two friends. So even though there are underlying differences between the novel written by Stephen King and the Hollywood movie directed by Frank Darabont. They seem to deliver an equally effective message as far as the theme of hope and redemption is concerned, making them equally appealing. Sources: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, by Stephen King, Viking Press, 1982 The Shawshank Redemption, Castle Rock Entertainment, 1994 Read More